Historically, swings for very young children have included a support frame with side frame members supporting a horizontal housing from which a seat is hung. Early swings were mechanically driven through a wind-up/spring mechanism while more modern swings include motorized drive mechanisms which are electrically powered. More modern frame designs are referred to as open-top swing designs and typically include front and back frame members connected together by separate connectors at upper ends thereof. The drive mechanism is typically housed in one of the connectors connecting the upper ends of the front and rear frame members. Unfortunately, such drive mechanisms tend to be overly complex and are not optimal.
Typical modern swing designs provide several safety and convenience features including a feature known as "lost motion" coupling. This type of coupling involves indirectly coupling the drive motor to the swinging seat so that if the motion of the swinging seat is halted by an operator such as an adult or an older sibling while the motor is still attempting to swing the seat, the motor and drive mechanism will not be damaged by holding the seat stationary. Another common feature is an adjustable control for selecting from a plurality of amplitudes or speeds for the swing. Unfortunately, techniques for achieving the lost motion control and the amplitude/speed control of the swing are often overly complex. It is desired to improve such control techniques.
One drawback with open top swings is that it can sometimes be cumbersome to transport such swings about a room or house since most open top swings have a fixed frame which is not easily collapsible. Transportation of the swing may be desired for short- or long-term storage of the swing or to relocate the swing to another portion of the room or house. It would be desirable to improve the transportability of such swings.
While many swings will comfort most babies and gently rock them to sleep, some babies are born with a condition known as colic which irritates them and makes them uncomfortable. Additional stimulation or techniques are typically required to comfort and soothe such babies. It would be desirable to apply such techniques to swings.
In order to help to restrain infants in the seat of the swing and in order to provide a suitable surface for older infants to play with or rest objects on, trays are provided on many swings. Typically, such trays are either fixed in place relative to the seat of the swing or else they pivot about a horizontal axis and thus pivot down into position over the infant's legs. Such arrangements are not always desirable and a more convenient arrangement is desired. In addition, it is desirable to have trays for swings meet the safety standards promulgated by United States and European safety organizations for trays on high chairs.
Lastly, most swing seats are disposed at a fixed angle relative to the frame and the ground or, in some cases, are adjustable between two different reclined positions. In the case of such adjustable swings, the adjustment mechanisms are sometimes cumbersome to operate and some may not be able to be operated while the infant is in the swing.
It is against this background and the desire to solve the problems of the prior art that the present invention has been developed.